Marines develop the fundamentals of military operations in urban terrain

[thedrifter]

Marines develop the fundamentals of military operations in urban terrain

Submitted by: MCB Camp Butler
Story Identification #: 2004523101212
Story by Cpl. Ryan Walker



CENTRAL TRAINING AREA, Okinawa, Japan (May 10, 2004) -- Moving from building to building like they were on the hunt for Saddam Hussein, Marines of 1st Stinger Battery, Marine Air Control Group-18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, conducted Military Operations in Urban Terrain exercises here May 10.

?Today we were doing MOUT training with a couple of different scenarios to train the Marines how to have a better chance of survival if they were deployed to a combat situation,? said Phoenix native, Sgt. Michael A. Perez, platoon sergeant. ?If and when they are deployed, knowing these skills will help them accomplish their mission.?

Using air defense weapons, the 1st Stinger Battery?s mission is to provide protection to the air wing and infantry units from enemy air attacks.

Their eyes moved from the sky to the ground, giving them elements of training related to combat.

Techniques the Marines honed through the training included assaults from simulated enemy snipers, capturing simulated enemy prisoners of war, setting up a defensive position in an urban environment and preparing for squad level attacks, explained Audubon, N.J., native, 1st Lt. John W. March, supply officer.

?We started the morning filling up sand bags to fortify our defense,? said Loushatta, La. native Lance Cpl. Jason L. Bell, avenger system maintainer. ?Today we?ve been attacked by staff non-commissioned officers and officers, and we?ve been attacking them back.?

The attacks from large numbers of enemy attackers were expected from Bell. March added a silent and dangerous twist to the battle scenario packaged in one body.

?This afternoon they were attacked by a sniper, and they had to use a react force to clear the sniper out of the building,? March said.

A react force is a squad-sized unit that has multiple assault capabilities, March explained. Ideally during an assault, the team will throw a grenade into a building and blow a hole in the side, creating an entry point for the Marines.

?We do this because doors and windows would probably be covered by fire,? March said.

?This was a change of pace for the Marines,? Perez said. ?They all liked it.?
Conducting MOUT training for the first time since Marine Combat Training, Bell said, ?Staying out here and having to work together and watch each other?s backs and communicating has really boosted my confidence to accomplish our mission.?

Taking the training seriously, the Marines began developing the fundamentals of MOUT that, one day, may save their lives and the lives of many other Marines, Perez explained.

?They?ve been doing awesome; they really want to accomplish their mission out here,? March said. ?They are all sweaty, hungry and tired, but they are trying really hard to work as a team.?



CENTRAL TRAINING AREA, Okinawa, Japan - Platoon sergeant, Sgt. Michael A. Perez, aviation system repairer, 1st Stinger Battery, Marine Air Control Group-18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, leads his ?stack? to assault and clear a building during Military Operations in Urbanized Terrain exercises in the Central Training Area May 10. Photo by: Cpl. Ryan Walker

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn20...9?opendocument

Ellie